


Always

by ThreeDaysofRain



Category: Firefly
Genre: Affection, Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Love, Non-Explicit Sex, Sleepy Sex, Teasing, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-24 21:34:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9787982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThreeDaysofRain/pseuds/ThreeDaysofRain
Summary: “You’re doing that thing,” Wash said into the pillow, aiming a clumsy arm across the nook of her waist. “That thing where you sleep with your eyes open.”“Only because you forgot to sleep with your mouth open,” she murmured, tracing a fingertip over the ticklish spot at his ear. “Someone has to tow the line.”





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Taeyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taeyn/gifts).



Zoë Washburne never found sleeping a problem. When the lives of those around you hang on a reflex, bad memories aren't a luxury you can afford. Trust is a precious commodity. And peace is as far as you can get from home.

The night after the rescue, Zoë didn’t choose sleep. Instead, she listened to her husband’s breathing, Wash face-down exhausted, stirring every few minutes with a combination of twitches and mumbling. She smiled.

“You’re doing that thing,” Wash said into the pillow, aiming a clumsy arm across the nook of her waist. “That thing where you sleep with your eyes open.”

“Only because you forgot to sleep with your mouth open,” she murmured, tracing a fingertip over the ticklish spot at his ear. “Someone has to tow the line.”

Wash snorted a laugh, turned and nudged his face against her neck. “Does that mean I get a wake-up kiss?” he asked blurrily. “Bet I look pretty disarming without the puddle of drool.”

“Depends who you’re trying to disarm,” Zoë offered, flinched her mouth at the corner. Wash popped up his head to blink at her.

“My key mission tactics, finally revealed,” he affirmed, coughed to make his voice less croaky. “Turns out I’m quite the military man in my sleep.”

“Not just in your sleep, _bǎo bèi_.” Zoë chased her fingers through the rough of his hair. It stuck out at all angles, plastered to his brow at the front.

“In some parts of the ‘Verse, flattery’s considered a thief’s currency.” Wash gave a lopsided wink. Zoë let her body curve into him, her teeth grazed his lower lip.

“Sounds like our kind of detour,” she said under her breath. Her free hand skipped beneath the blanket, Wash swallowed whatever he had to say next.

“A detour tha- _ahah-h_ -at can be arranged-” was what he managed, barely containing the shiver that followed. His hands were warm, fingers tensed and clingy at the small of her back. “I am the pilot of a pretty neat sh- _ihi_ -ip, you know.”

Zoë pressed her lips to keep from smiling, her hand moving slow and deliberate. Wash gave a shaky exhale, sucked another breath like he expected to hold it for awhile. Zoë firmed her grip, wove a knee between his legs. He let it out fairly abruptly.

“I need to almost get us killed more often,” Wash babbled, his grin pulling crooked as their thighs intertwined. He choked out a moan, shot her a look of despair.

“Be as loud as you want, honey,” said Zoë, only half-teasing, “rest of the crew’s two-pints-too-many of Kaylee’s engine brew.”

“Nghm- _ohh-h!”_ Wash yelped. Zoë’s thumb was tracing small, sticky circles, his toes curled and clenched.

“And-” she drew back a fraction, tone easing to a whisper. “You know I kind of like it.”

Wash gave a strangled laugh, his body prickled with sweat. “What I- _ii_ kind of like, is how you think there was also a qui-i- _ii_ - _huht_ -ter option,” he replied, biting down on another groan as Zoë stroked her hand toward his stomach, a long and shuddering path back up.

“A _what,_ darling?” Zoë grinned, unable to let that one slide. It didn’t aid her husband’s response when she quickened her pace. His mouth fell slack and open, eyes squeezing and eyebrows pinched. His inhale came in tangled sips and gasps, the occasional high-pitched exclamation, garbled affection or curse word. She kissed him deep, his arms loose and trembling, hands fiercely tight. She held him until she couldn’t let go, until his teeth clenched and breath hissed sharp, his whole face bright and crumpled as he muffled an incoherent shout into her shoulder.

“ _Ó shàngdì bāngzhù wǒ,_ ” Wash spluttered, kissed her between gulps of air. “ _Wǒ ài nǐ,_ no, I _definitely_ need to almost get us killed more often.”

Zoë brimmed to a slow smile, Wash matched it with a far more watery grin.

“Agh dammit,” he sniffled, wiped below his eyes with the heel of a hand. “That whole you-being-alive-and really- _really_ -sexy-after-a-horrifically-hazardous-situation thing. Gets me every time.”

Zoë laughed- low, coarse, and quick to hush, but a real laugh all the same.

“I love you too, baby,” she said quietly, pressed a kiss to his damp cheek. _“Dàn xià cì, nǐ liú zài chuánshàng._ ”

-

 

Dàn xià cì, nǐ liú zài chuánshàng _-_ but next time, you’re staying on the ship.

Wǒ ài nǐ - I love you

Ó shàngdì bāngzhù wǒ - oh god help me

Bǎo bèi - darling, treasure

-

**Author's Note:**

> something less-heartbreaking for a (late) valentines day :’> I’ll love these two forever, tysm for reading ;w; <3


End file.
